When you think of public health degrees, you probably most often consider finding remedies and solutions for individual health problems. Most public health degree programs focus on the individual in one form or another, making environmental health a unique field for public health students seeking something a little different in their education.

The Master of Science in Environmental Health takes a slightly different approach to improving public health. The environment is a huge factor in determining how safe people are from dangerous illnesses, diseases, or even injuries. This degree program focuses on the various hazards present in natural, living, work, and school environments, the public domain, and even remote locations.

The MS in Environmental Science is a great option for students who want to be a part of the fascinating realm of public health. Students who enroll in this degree program can learn to assess an area for potential risks and hazards to human health. This type of research can help students develop, test, and analyze the effectiveness of environmental prevention and treatment plans designed to protect the general public from these potential risks.

The Master of Science in Environmental Health is a key part of public health. As you learn more about what public health provides as a discipline, you will see that people interact with their environments in ways that can either promote or compromise their wellness. Making improvements to the environment or implementing prevention programs to reduce risk can help keep people safe across all areas of their normal functioning.

Degree programs that center on environmental health help students understand the importance of a safe environment for people from all walks of life. If you enroll in this program, you might learn how wastes from manufacturing can affect the health of nearby residents, how diseases may be more prominent in warmer areas of the country, or even how illness is spread through schools with less-than-perfect air filtration systems. Each of these topics can help explain the prominence of disease or illness within different environments, which can lead to better programming for prevention and treatment.

After you have earned your degree in Environmental Health, you can join the dedicated team that works hard to provide safe living, working, and educational environments for all people. Depending on what interests you, you could find careers working in many diverse settings. Some of the most common career titles are listed below.

Information updated as of May 2026

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University and Program Name	Study Length	Test Requirement	Number of Credits
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Master of Public Health (MPH) info AD	As few as 20 months	No GRE Required	42
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George Washington University Doctor of Public Health info AD	36 months	No GRE Required	48
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Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Institute of Health Professions Master of Health Administration info AD	As few as 12 months (full time) or 24 months (part time)	No GMAT or GRE Required	36

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